Fort Belknap Man Gets 7 Years for Baseball Bat Assault on Reservation

GREAT FALLS — A Fort Belknap man was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for a brutal baseball bat assault that left a woman with compound fractures requiring multiple surgeries, highlighting the ongoing issue of violent crime on Montana’s Indian reservations.

Jeremy Owen Walker, 39, received an 84-month sentence followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty in April to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris handed down the sentence in Billings Federal District Court on Thursday.

The case underscores the federal government’s role in prosecuting serious violent crimes on tribal lands, where the U.S. Attorney’s Office handles cases that would typically fall under state jurisdiction elsewhere.

Brutal Attack Left Victim With Lasting Injuries

The assault occurred on July 15, 2023, when Walker burst into the victim’s bedroom while she was sleeping at her home on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Court documents describe a vicious attack where Walker repeatedly struck the woman with a baseball bat.

“Walker hit Jane Doe on the head with the baseball bat, and when she put her arms up to protect her head, he hit her arms as well,” according to federal court filings.

The attack left the victim with a compound fracture of her left arm where “the bone was visible,” along with a fractured wrist. She required immediate surgery in July 2023 to repair the fractures, with medical hardware installed in her arm.

The victim’s recovery proved complicated and prolonged. She experienced ongoing issues with the surgical hardware and required a second surgery in December 2023 to remove a broken plate and screws from her arm.

Federal Jurisdiction on Tribal Lands

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana due to its occurrence on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Federal authorities have jurisdiction over major crimes committed on tribal lands under the Major Crimes Act.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services, demonstrating the collaboration between federal and tribal law enforcement agencies.

Law enforcement was initially dispatched to Harlem Hospital’s emergency room to investigate the possible assault. The victim was able to provide details about the attack, leading to Walker’s arrest and prosecution.

Walker’s sentence reflects the serious nature of the assault and the lasting impact on the victim, who continues to deal with complications from her injuries more than two years after the attack.

The case represents one of numerous violent crime prosecutions handled by federal authorities on Montana’s seven Indian reservations, where jurisdiction often falls to federal courts for serious felony offenses.